# The Boondocks comic - he's not even trying anymore! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075 "2003-03-29T20:57:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/1 "2003-03-29T20:57:33Z")
okay, I usually think The Boondocks is pretty clever, but the last few weeks have just seemed – lazy. **Week 1** - Make Fun Of Al Sharpton’s Hair For A Full Week **Week 2** - Create A Clever “Most Embarrassing Black People” Storyline, But Use The Same Michael Jackson Punchline At Least Twice **Week 3** - The Same Queen Latifah Joke Every Day. It’s like McGruder assumes people only read the comics once a week, so they don’t need a new joke until seven days later. But the worst was [today’s Boondocks](http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/2003/03/29/), which was just a box of text protesting the war _and_ a throwaway joke about Cuba Gooding Jr. It’s not that it’s a political message - The Boondocks is full of political messages. It’s not that it’s an anti-war opinion in the “funny pages” - Cartoonists are allowed to tackle issues through their medium, it’s happened many times before. It’s not even that there’s no art to speak of. My issue with it is this: the throwaway joke about Cuba Gooding Jr. _is the same damn joke he’s been telling about Queen Latifah all week!_ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/2 "2003-03-29T21:09:09Z")
I was rather puzzled by his sniping at Queen Latifah for showing black folks in a negative light in “Chicago.” Did MacGruder even SEE the movie? Apart from hapless husband Amos, EVERYBODY in that movie is a contemptible character! There AREN’T any positive role models in “Chicago!” Indded, that’s pretty much the point of the whole story (to the extent that it has a point at all)- that most people are either scheming phonies or complete imbeciles. I mean, is Roxie Hart a more “positive” character than Big Mama? Is Velma Kelly? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/3 "2003-03-29T21:16:56Z")
um, wasn’t he sniping at Queen Latifah for that dismal movie with Steve Martin? Not “chicago”. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/4 "2003-03-29T21:24:48Z")
yeah . . . he mentioned the Steve Martin movie, [Bringing Down the House](http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/2003/03/26/), by name quite often . . . ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/5 "2003-03-29T21:46:46Z")
Be fair - how many times could anyone draw a comic to say “Whitey Sucks” before running out of ideas? He is suffering from “Famous Comedian Syndrome”, which is the delusion that his ideas are too important to joke about. Jokes are the bribe to get us to read the strip/listen to the comedian/watch the commercial. Once you can’t even be bothered to provide a bribe, you lose the mainstream audience of those who are not already convinced. I wonder how his syndicators will feel about him not even trying to provide the cartoon he contracted to draw. If he wants to change to being a syndicated columnist, good luck to him. Or at least luck that is good enough to produce a column that is better than his stupid racist strip. Gee, another self-righteous blatherskate losing it. Whooda thunk it. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/6 "2003-03-29T22:27:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shodan \* > \*\*Be fair - how many times could anyone draw a comic to say “Whitey Sucks” before running out of ideas? \*\* Have you read the comic that often? I wouldn’t consider the sentiment of “whitey sucks” to be a central theme of the strip. More often it seems to be skewering black pop culture and the portrayal of famous black people in the media. You began your post with the words “Be fair”. You might want to read the strip more in order to live up to that suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/7 "2003-03-29T22:39:26Z")
Yesterday’s _Boondocks_ was choice. **"What good is a smart bomb if you have a dumb president?"** Right on! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/8 "2003-03-29T22:40:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shodan \* > \*\*Be fair - how many times could anyone draw a comic to say “Whitey Sucks” before running out of ideas? > \*\* Seems to me that he says “Blackie Sucks,” or at least “Contemporary Black Culture Sucks,” much more often than anything else… hrh ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/9 "2003-03-30T04:27:15Z")
Isn’t Mr. McGruder busy trying to get “Boondocks” on Showtime? If he is spending his time doing that, it could explain the decline in quality. (Also, I’m trying to figure out what Vivaca Fox did that offended him so. It seems that his animosity to her is beyond that of using her as merely a symbol). ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/10 "2003-03-30T04:36:45Z")
Well, if all Cuba does in the movies is jump around like Mantan, yes, those movies should not be made. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/11 "2003-03-30T04:47:35Z")
My favorite “Boondocks” is the one where the kid asks his grandpa if “Thug Lovin’” is better than “Gangsta Lovin.’” ---
**Author:** ![Elvis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@Elvis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/12 "2003-03-30T17:11:13Z")
The quality does seem to be declining. When the _Daily News_ first started running it here in NY, there was much more effective use of the"culture shock" aspect of the Huey character interacting with his thug brother, the interracial couple and their daughter, the white teacher(s), the curmudgeonly grandfather. The introduction of the Caesar character has resulted in Huey having a “yes man” so they can sit around and make fun of popular culture, and mostly its very repetitive. Nobody is more irritated by Cuba’s post-Oscar choices than me, but enough already. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/13 "2003-03-30T18:20:58Z")
I tend to agree with you, Elvis. I liked Boondocks much better in the old days because more of the strips focused on the curmudgeon of a grandfather. As a cranky 43-year-old man, I can relate much better to curmudgeons than smartass kids. Also, you hardly ever see Jazzmine and her parents any more. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/14 "2003-03-30T19:46:29Z")
That’s funny, **The Peyote Coyote** , I’m 43 too but I still relate much better to the smartass kids. Guess I’m still in touch with my inner child. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/15 "2003-03-30T19:55:08Z")
I never had an inner child, Jomo Mojo, even when I was a kid. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/16 "2003-03-30T19:58:10Z")
Well, the strip the OP linked to made me laugh, so no complaints from this quarter. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/17 "2003-03-30T22:23:38Z")
I like Boondocks, but I don’t follow it regularly so I can’t say much about recent strips. I’ve looked at the last week of strips online and find them passibly funny. One should bear in mind that EVERY comic strip artist has some not too good strips. It’s fairly common that you find a series of basically mediocre strips followed by a better run. Sometimes they play better in book format where you can read them in succesion. Also, looking at the other stuff that’s on the comics page I don’t find many current strips that are anywhere near as good. I find Boondocks is nearly always passibly funny and I like his political commentary. Maybe if you disagree with his stance you are less likely to be as charitable as I am. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/18 "2003-03-31T03:16:40Z")
Frankly I’ve always found the strip to be juvenile, simple-minded and over the top, so I can’t say whether it’s gotten worse. That’s a bit like asking if an amputated leg has gotten worse. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/19 "2003-03-31T03:26:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Elvis \* > \*\*The quality does seem to be declining. When the _Daily News_ first started running it here in NY, there was much more effective use of the"culture shock" aspect of the Huey character interacting with his thug brother, the interracial couple and their daughter, the white teacher(s), the curmudgeonly grandfather. The introduction of the Caesar character has resulted in Huey having a “yes man” so they can sit around and make fun of popular culture, and mostly its very repetitive. > > Nobody is more irritated by Cuba’s post-Oscar choices than me, but enough already. \*\* I agree. The strip was much better with the wider cast. Most Boondocks strips these days are just Huey and Caesar talking to each other. If you do see the other characters, chances are that it’s a rerun from the old days (Macgruder takes frequent vacations). According to someone on rec.arts.comics.strips, the Boston Globe removed the Boondocks strip that the OP is talking about! Maybe they felt that they weren’t getting what they were paying for. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boondocks-comic-hes-not-even-trying-anymore/165075/20 "2003-03-31T04:12:10Z")
The ‘Most Embarrassing Black People Awards’ is a recurring storyline. This is at least the third year (IIRC) he’s done it. I agree, though, the strip has seemed a little weak lately. Hey **Shodan** , go buzz a Star Wars thread and let them all know that it’s just a movie, why don’tcha?